"For nearly 75 years, Barbicide has provided the equipment and training to help professionals keep their workspaces clean and disinfected. On May 1, 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic looming, the brand released its free online Barbicide COVID-19 Certification course in addition to the original Barbicide Certification course that has existed since 2012. These courses teach and test professionals on the latest cleaning and disinfection safety guidelines and best practices. In the 12 months since launching the program, more than 1 million professionals have earned more than 2 million Barbicide certifications."

Bridging Cosmetology and Technology

Barbicide didn’t stop at offering free education and certifications for professionals. The team went a step further for the industry by partnering with Merit to make those certificates digitally available on professionals’ smartphones for secure, contactless sharing. Beginning in December 2020, every professional’s certifications were sent via Merit. Now, the million-plus professionals who have already been certified, and any future professionals who become certified, can easily show their dedication to providing safe services and meeting client expectations.

Merit is a verified identity platform that works with trusted government and private organizations to send and verify digital credentials. Merit’s free smartphone app makes it easy for people to store, manage, access, and share those credentials – whether it’s a certification from a private organization like Barbicide or a cosmetology license from a state licensing board. In fact, due to Merit’s existing partnership with Virginia’s Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, beauty professionals in Virginia can also manage all of their state-issued professional licenses with Merit.

One Place for Every Credential

Sarah Williams is a licensed cosmetologist, licensed permanent cosmetic tattooer, and certified makeup artist who lives in Richmond, VA. “When we came back after COVID, we wanted to show that we were Barbicide COVID-certified,” she says. “That was an amazing thing to have right at that time.”

In addition to her Barbicide certifications, Sarah keeps all of her licenses and trainings in Merit. “All of the accomplishments are right in the palm of your hand,” she says. “It makes everything so much easier. I know if I went to Florida tomorrow, I could say, ‘This is all of my stuff from Virginia.’”

Next up for Barbicide and Merit

Several states have passed legislation requiring beauty professionals to be educated about the signs of domestic violence and how to respond. Shear Haven Domestic Violence Training is one such program that equips stylists with the knowledge and resources to recognize the signs of domestic violence, successfully navigate conversations with clients who may be in danger, and pass along tools that can help them get to safety. Barbicide now hosts the free training program on its site. Since April 2021, proof of course completion will be available in the Merit app for professionals to store alongside their other certifications and licenses.

The Barbicide-Merit partnership has been successful due to the overwhelming response from beauty professionals, as well as the pressing need for contactless solutions for showing certifications. Beauty professionals now have access to free courses, free certifications, and a free mobile application to store those accomplishments.